Results 61-80 of 8,947 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: There is a Crime Prevention Officer attached to each Garda Division. As of 5 March 2025, the latest date for which figures are available, there are 37 Crime Prevention Officers in the country. Information in relation to Crime Prevention Officer's is publicly available on the Garda.ie website and can be found at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the allocation of additional resources for specialist units within An Garda Síochána, including the Garda dog unit, is reviewed on a continual basis. The purchase and allocation of vehicles is made on the basis of identified operational demands and the availability of resources. The table below has been provided to me by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have been advised by CAB that a review was recently conducted of the Divisional Asset Profilers on a National basis. Since training commenced a total of 628 members of An Garda Síochána have completed the Criminal Assets Bureau Divisional Assets Profiler course. The review indicated that a number of trained Divisional Asset Profilers are now inactive for various reasons...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected. Accelerated processing was introduced in November 2022 and it now applies to those from designated safe countries of origin, applicants who have received protection elsewhere in Europe and citizens of countries...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Racism Measures (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Transposition of Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA of 28 November 2008 on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia was formally notified to the European Commission before the deadline in November 2010. In 2014, the Commission published a report on the implementation of the Framework Decision, which outlined concerns over correct transposition in over a dozen EU...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 115 together. Road safety is a shared responsibility. The whole of Government response is led by the Department of Transport and is taken very seriously across Government. An Garda Síochána plays a vital role in enforcing road traffic law and in making our roads safer for all road users, including vulnerable road users. Road traffic...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I understand that the Correctional Research Symposium (CRS) is an international conference co-organised by EuroPris - a network of European prison agencies and the International Corrections and Prisons Association (IACP). I am advised that the symposium is dedicated to research in the field of community and institutional corrections and prisons. CRS provides a platform for exchange among...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The prevention, detection and prosecution of the crime of human trafficking is a priority for me and for this Government. A number of significant measures have been taken to combat human trafficking, to create a more victim-centred approach to identifying and supporting victims; to raise public awareness and provide training to relevant people including professionals to detect, understand...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime. A strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 includes unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion, representing a 27% increase since 2020. This investment supports the continued enhancement of the Garda fleet, ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 375 of 20 March 2025 where you sought: “To ask the Minister for Justice the number of competitions held for sworn Gardaí to apply to join Garda National Immigration Bureau in 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of vacancies, by rank, that were available during each of those competitions; and the number of Gardaí, by rank, that applied...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The statutory framework relating to young offenders (between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age), and inclusion in the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, is set out in the Children Act 2001. The Act provides that where a young person under 18 years of age is responsible for committing a crime, the young person shall be considered for admission to the Youth Diversion Programme. In order for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: A Personal Protective Equipment review group, which includes representatives from the Irish Prison Service, State Claims Agency and the Prison Officers Association, was established in 2024. This group will conduct a fresh review of the requirement for PPE for operational staff in our prisons. I am informed by my officials that a range of Personal Protective Equipment was considered by...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The average daily prison population, official bed capacity of each capacity of each custodial institution for the months January to March 2025 and the percentage occupancy for each are published on a daily basis and are available on the Irish Prison Service website (www.irishprisons.ie). This information can be located in the Information Centre, under Statistics and Information –...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is acutely aware of capacity restraints in our prisons and has committed to increasing capacity of our prisons by 1,500 under the Programme for Government. This work has already commenced. An increase of €79m (18%) was secured in Budget 2025 towards a total of €525m in funding to increase prison capacity and tackle overcrowding. The Irish Prison Service capital...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The data requested by the Deputy is being collated. I will write to the Deputy with the information in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the number of direct physical assaults involving prison staff and prisoners in 2023 and 2024 is set out in the attached table. I am further informed by the Irish Prison Service that assault figures are published on an annual basis; therefore, data for Quarter 1 of 2025 is not yet available at the time of this response. Every assault on a member...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I would like to advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service have confirmed that educational opportunities are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to avail of these opportunities. All prisoners are encouraged to attend education. Those who attend, engage in an education interview with the Head or Deputy Head Teacher where they discuss and agree their individual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is acutely aware of capacity restraints in our prisons and we have committed to increasing capacity by 1,500 under the Programme for Government. This work has already commenced. An increase of €79m (18%) was secured in Budget 2025 towards a total of €525m in funding to increase prison capacity and tackle overcrowding. The Irish Prison Service capital budget is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 130 together. I am aware that the flow of contraband is one of the most pressing issues affecting security and safety in our prisons. Preventing the access of contraband, including drugs, into prisons is a high priority for the Irish Prison Service, and the Service has committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support...